Billie Weiss | Photo | Video | Multimedia

Gopher Hole

"Kwame Ansah Brew, professor and Ghanaian drummer, performs at the 'A Glimpse of Africa' celebration of Black History Month at Goucher College Saturday, February 27, 2011."

"Towson University's Rhythm Step Team dances in formation the 'A Glimpse of Africa' celebration of Black History Month at Goucher College Saturday, February 27, 2011."

“Maimouna Youssef, Grammy nominated singer and songwriter, sings at the ‘A Glimpse of Africa’ celebration of Black History Month at Goucher College Saturday, February 27, 2011.”

Goucher College’s Programming Board paired with Umoja, Goucher’s Black Student Union, to put on the second annual ‘A Glimpse of Africa’ celebration in honor of Black History Month last week.

I had a front row seat so I could get photographs, and the energy coming out of some of the performances was invigorating. I couldn’t stop clicking my shutter.

It’s a shame that the Hyman Forum’s plain wooden paneled backdrop is so disgustingly boring, because it really detracted from these vibrant displays of rhythm, song, spoken word, dance, and color.

And because I know that the lighting is always so awful on that stage, I figured I’d play around with exposure and motion this time around. The movements were so fast in most of the acts, so I decided to emphasize the blurring.

The show certainly got everyone amped up for a dark, sweaty, and crowded after-party dance in the Gopher Hole later that night.